Mattingly not worried about '14 option pickup

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LOS ANGELES Since taking over the team last year, the Dodgers' new owners have spent money to revamp their roster, refurbish their stadium, rebuild their scouting department and restock their minor-league system. But they have yet to spend any on their manager.

Don Mattingly was told in the fall that the Dodgers were not ready to pick up the 2014 option in his contract, leaving him (for now) a lame-duck manager of a high-payroll, star-laden team with expectations as outsized as the salaries. That is a combination that could make for uncomfortable temperatures if the Dodgers stumble out of the gate or fail to meet those expectations.

But Mattingly insists it will not make him angry or concerned if the issue is not addressed before opening day.

Said Mattingly: “The way I look at it is this — somebody that comes in and spends $2 billion on a team and takes the payroll over $200 million, they're not going to hesitate to get rid of the manager if they don't like him. I feel I got a vote of confidence (by returning for 2013).”

Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten would not comment on the situation, saying only that he thought very highly of Mattingly and the job he has done with the Dodgers during a turbulent stretch in the franchise's history.

PITCHING PLANS

The Dodgers will head to spring training in two weeks with eight starting pitchers on the major-league roster. And they intend to treat each of them as starting pitchers. Mattingly said there is no plan to make an early decision about which excess starter might fit in the bullpen and start grooming one or more for a relief role.

The main reason for that is the health issues of Ted Lilly and Chad Billingsley. Lilly is recovering from shoulder surgery while Billingsley has worked this winter to avoid surgery for a partially torn ligament in his elbow.

“We'll see how health goes in spring training,” Mattingly said. “If everybody is healthy, then we'll make some tough decisions.”

BIG BILLS

Zack Greinke (a Floridian) recalls pitching with Billingsley (an Ohio native) on the same team during a week-long tournament when both were in high school. Billingsley made a weighty impression on his future big-league teammate.

“I thought he was a little bit fat at the time,” Greinke said with dry humor. “At one point, our coach was talking about which player he thought had the best pitcher's body on the team and he said Billingsley.

“I was, like, ‘Are you serious?' But that's when I learned it's not necessarily fat. It's about having a good strong base.”

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